The Projects Never End

[Toolslinger]

I do enjoy the "messing around in the shop" thread...

Thought I'd do my own, but of course that title is taken. Hope this can just collect all my projects in one post that will give me a nice timeline over time...

On today's episode... Mott work.

I got the mower a few years ago now. 2020 I think. Couple hundred bucks. It was thrashed, so I knew it needed a lot of work. Didn't really think it would be quite as bad as it was...

That involved around $2000 to $2500 in parts and machining. Got it back together late in 2022 I believe. Used it last year, and the beginning of this season. It's a great mower, but I had only dealt with the important issues then, and when I got in to an immovable rock earlier this season, and wrecked some flail mounts, I figured I should deal with some other issues too.

So, here she is, post power washing, mounted nose down on my outdoor welding table.

This mower has seen some use, and a lot of years... The design is kinda problematic as it collects grass on the back of the deck, with no place for moisture to drain out. So, you can see nature has added some drainage to take care of that... Shavings build on the bottom in this area too, so it's probably inevitable on this model.

So, out with the plasma cutter, and out goes the rotten sheet metal.

This is where I got in to the ROCK... There are some other missing tabs, and some that are cracked... 12 stations that were bad, but I only actually lost the tab, pin, and blades on one. The others were hanging by the second tab.

I started a couple weeks ago on this, so I could get my replacement material in. Cutting commenced two days ago.

[Toolslinger]

Yesterday, it was time to stick something back in that hole...

So out with the big clamps...

This would have been a lot easier to weld if I had turned the whole thing another 90 degrees so the plate would be flat. That would have been a real pain, so I just dealt with it. I am not proud of the welds up along the top clamp line. I just couldn't get the base material clean enough, and I'm using Mig, so it's kinda intolerant. Somewhat breezy day didn't help.

Next up was the baffel.

I managed to get some heavy tacks on it, and do the two ends to the cheek plates. Much nicer welding clean to clean... 10 gauge deck plate, and 3/16" x 3" x 3" angle. At that point, my spool ran out. I have loads of wire in the stinger spool, but I was using the spoolgun as the welder isn't real happy outdoors, and I can't weld inside a 100+ year old wood barn. I would have sworn I had another spool. If you look closely in the last photo, you can see a stack of spools sitting up on a shelf just to the right, and down from the big clock in the barn... All aluminum. I really thought the two in boxes were steel. Oh well.

Put things away for the day, and ran out to Tractor Supply. Bought a couple spools, and also one of the flux core to try. I've never used that, and I imagine it would be a better choice in the outdoors. I don't really want to have to chip welds, but it's probably better that than having the wind screw with me all the time.

I've got rain on and off all day today, so not likely going to be able to get back on this. Will have to putter around with some other things indoors.

[Harry]

TS, as I was reading and enjoying your post, I kept thinking flux core wire. Then I see you mentioned you picked up a spool. Usually it runs on DC- polarity not DC+ and usually with the smaller diameter wire like .30 or even .35 very little slag. So no chipping is needed. I use it often when working on rusty metal that is not easy to grind off. Harry

[DavidBarkey]

Like Harry said . and I would add that burns hotter and is more forgiving with dirty steel . Flux left usually comes off with wire brush . More splatter . Its kinda like 6011 in wire form . Like everything else , it has it +s and -s and it uses .

[Harry]

Like Harry said . and I would add that burns hotter and is more forgiving with dirty steel . Flux left usually comes off with wire brush . More splatter . Its kinda like 6011 in wire form . Like everything else , it has it +s and -s and it uses .

David if your getting spatter try turning the voltage down, or if your using CO2 switch to 75 Argon and 25 CO2. My 2 cents no change. Harry

[DavidBarkey]

Like Harry said . and I would add that burns hotter and is more forgiving with dirty steel . Flux left usually comes off with wire brush . More splatter . Its kinda like 6011 in wire form . Like everything else , it has it +s and -s and it uses .

David if your getting spatter try turning the voltage down, or if your using CO2 switch to 75 Argon and 25 CO2. My 2 cents no change. Harry

Harry I was talking about the flux core . I don't run gas in my mig . The only gas in my shop is in the oxy act. torch tanks and the stuff that makes the

[DavidBarkey]

@Toolslinger Nice work . I have been wanting to get one of the smaller Gt sized Motts flail mower to adapt to 446. front mount .

[Harry]

Mig is usually low amperage with either CO2 or Argon mixed with CO2. Fluxcore can be gasless with certain wires, but most use CO2. The gas helps with the wire transfer to the base metal. Harry

[JSinMO]

@Toolslinger Great write up and pictures! I’m glad your able to bring this mower back into service. I bet it made one heck of a racket when you got into that rock!
I’ve never had a chance to use a flail mower, how thick of material can it handle?

I’m looking forward to seeing your projects. And I know how you feel, they never end!

[DavidBarkey]

Mig is usually low amperage with either CO2 or Argon mixed with CO2. Fluxcore can be gasless with certain wires, but most use CO2. The gas helps with the wire transfer to the base metal. Harry

Thanks Harry, I didn't know there was a point to run gas with flux core . In what application would you use flux core and CO2 and not just regular wire ?